


I Want To Know What Love Is

by bea_watford



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, F/M, HEAVY elmax, Implied Jopper - Freeform, M/M, hopper-byers, little snippets of stonathan and byler, so enjoy, this is a very elmax centered fic, this was for a prompt and i turned it into a series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2019-12-26 22:45:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18291740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bea_watford/pseuds/bea_watford
Summary: El is as happy as a clam. She has a family she loves, friends who take care of her and each other, and a totally tubular house to live in. The best part about having two brothers on demand is that you'll always have someone explaining to you what something is. Those somethings could be anything, like the way an oven works, how to bake a cake, or even what love is.





	1. Tell it To My Heart

“Take me, I’m yours, into your arms, never let me go. Tonight I really need to know. Tell it to my heart.” - Tell it to My Heart, Taylor Dayne

 

Ever since school let out, Eleven was able to spend more time with the party. She was able to go over to the Byers whenever she wanted, since they knew about her and she knew about them. But, Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Max’s houses were still off limits. 

Especially Max’s.

Because of this, Max and El had to find other places to hang out. So, when Starcourt Mall opened, the girls leapt at the chance to roam around the mall. 

“Three rules,” Hopper said to El as he drove the pair to the mall. “You two stick together at all times. No exceptions. You will call if someone is following you. I gave you quarters for the phones they have there. And lastly, and this goes for the both of you, if someone’s giving you shit, you keep your cool. You,” He pointed a finger at El. “will not blow shit up if someone’s bothering you. And you,” Hopper looking in the rearview mirror to Max, who sat smirking. “will not blow up at someone. Got it?” The two nodded. 

Eleven was amazed by Starcourt. It was so bright. There were people everywhere, chattering and laughing, walking and running every which way. 

“Wow.” El breathed, looking around. Max took her hand, and El looked back at Max in confusion. 

“So I don’t lose you.” She explained. 

“Lose? I won’t die.” El smiled.

“No, lose, like,” Max thought for a second. “Like Dustin lost his Bumble Bee Transformer last week. He can’t find it.” 

“Ohh,” El understood what Max was trying to say, and recalled what Hopper told them. “Stick together at all times.”

“Yeah.” 

The two traipsed through the mall without a care in the world. Max stopped her in front of a store, looking up at the electric light sign. 

“I think it’s time we get you out of those Dad clothes.” Max smiled, dragging El into the store. While Max sorted through bright patterned button ups, El dug through a bin of scrunchies near the cash register.

“Need any help, hon?” A blonde lady asked El, popping her gum.

El froze, unsure of what to say. She felt an arm slide through hers, linking them together. 

“She’s fine. Scrunchies, El?” Max asked. The blonde lady walked away, wondering over to a different customer. El noticed the piles of clothes in gathered in Max’s right arm. 

“For me?” 

“Yeah-huh! Wanna go try them on?” El nodded. 

Max lead her to a room off of the store, filled with smaller rooms with doors on them. It reminded her of the closet in Will’s room that he keeps all his dirty clothes in. 

“Here.” Max opened one of the doors for El, and put all the clothes on a shelf in the tiny room. “You pick out and outfit you like, and show it to me. You can pick out the shorts and shorts you think fit the best, and we’ll use the money Hopper gave you to buy it. Sound good?” 

“Rad.” El said, smiling. 

“You got it!” Max shot her finger guns, closing the door. El tried on at least eighty different outfits, or at least that’s what it felt like. But, Max had wonderful taste. She knew exactly what El would like, picking out the most fun prints and bright colors that complimented El’s eyes perfectly. In the end, El picked out a few shirts and a couple pairs of pants to wear. 

“Will that be all?” The blonde lady asked, bagging the clothes El picked out. El’s looked over to the barrel of scrunchies she was looking through earlier, and picked five from the top. 

“Alright.” They paid, and the lady handed El the bag. 

“Wanna go to Scoops Ahoy?” Max suggested. 

“Scoops Ahoy?” El repeated. 

“Oh, yeah, it’s this ice cream parlor Steve is supposed to be working at. Get some ice cream and see Steve? I mean, we only have a half hour left before Hop comes back to pick us up.” El nodded, and the girls headed to the second level, where they found Steve in a sailor’s hat, scooping ice cream, just as Max said he would be. 

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t our Zoomer and our Mage.” Steve smiled at the two. He was genuinely happy they came to see him. The kids had been coming in and getting ice cream from Scoops Ahoy to see Steve since the mall opened, and it meant a lot to him that they kept it up over the summer. “What can I get you two today?” 

“I’ll take two scoops of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone.” Max said, moving over so El could order. 

“What’s a hot fudge sundae?” She asked Steve. 

“Oh, it’s vanilla ice cream in a bowl with chocolate syrup on it. We usually put nuts on it too, like little chopped ones.”

El nodded. “I’ll take that.” Steve prepared the duo’s ice cream and refused their money. 

“On the house.” He insisted. Max still snuck a five into his tip jar while he wasn’t looking. 

El and Max found a booth for two and sat, chatting happily while eating their ice cream. They swung their legs back and forth in their seats, which means they kept accidentally kicking each other. Max blushed every time she accidentally tapped El. 

“Thank you. For helping me today.” 

“It was so much fun! You don’t have to thank me.” 

“You’re a really, really good friend.” El said, beaming. 

“You are, too, Eleven.” 

After they finished their ice cream, they wondered to the front of the mall and out of the doors. Max checked her wristwatch, and Hopper was two minutes late. El began shivering a bit, after all, it was a bit chilly for a summer night. 

“Cold?” Max asked, shrugging off the denim jacket she was wearing. “Here.” She put it around El’s shoulders, as her hands were occupied carrying the bags. She did the first button so it wouldn’t fall off. 

El felt her cheeks flush with fire. 

Hopper picked them up in total five minutes late, and dropped Max off at home, bringing El back to their house. 

“We’re home!” El called as she slipped off her shoes and ran into Will’s room. 

“Will! Guess what? Max and I went to the mall and she helped me pick out these clothes, she said that they’re cute. I think they’re ‘cute’, too.” She said, grinning. 

“That’s sick!” Will said, putting down the drawing he was working on. “Hey, is that your jacket?” 

El shook her head. “No. Max’s. I got cold.” Will nodded, and El handed him the bag of things she had bought. “We saw Steve.” She said. “He’s always really nice.” Will nodded in agreement. 

“Are Steve and Jonathan together?” El asked suddenly, picking at the skin around her nails. 

“What?” Will looked up from the plastic bag. “I-I don’t know. Probably. Why?” 

“Is it wrong?” 

“What? No. Stop picking at your nails, you’ll bleed. What’s wrong, El?” 

“I just-” 

“Hey, guys.” She was cut off by Jonathan leaning in the doorway of Will’s room. “Dinner’s ready in ten.” He noticed the anxiousness in Eleven’s eyes and immediately began to worry. “What’s going on in here?” 

Will only shrugged. “Why don’t you ask her?” 

Jonathan shut the door to Will’s room and walked over to El, crouching down with her. 

“What’s up kid?” El looked to Will with tears in her eyes.   
“Max.” 

“Huh? I thought things were going great with her. You two went to the mall today, right? Did she say something, El?” 

“No, it’s not that.” She said, shaking her head. “I like her.” 

“You’re supposed to like your friends, Eleven.” Will interjected. “That’s what this is all about? You like your friend?” Will asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. 

“I don’t think that’s what she’s trying to say, Will.” Jonathan said, looking back at El. “Right?” El nodded, agreeing with Jonathan. 

“Oh,” This time, both of Will’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh. That’s why you- oh.” 

“That’s why she what?” 

“Asked if you and Steve were a thing. I told her I didn’t know, because I don’t.” Jonathan tucked a piece of El’s hair behind her ear and patted her head. 

“Maybe someday. But, you’re not wrong for liking Max. She’s a nice girl, she’s smart, she’s talented. You two would be good together.” Jonathan said, smiling. 

“I really, really like her.” El said, smiling shyly back at her ‘big brother’. “A lot. A lot a lot. She’s so pretty, and she knows exactly what I like, and she’s nice to me, she stands up for me, and I mentioned she’s pretty, right?” The boys laughed. 

“You did.” They said in unison. 

“I really really like Max Mayfield.”


	2. Girls on Film

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party tries (and fails) to throw a birthday party for El. Their gift to her is a whole day dedicated to whatever she wants to do with them. El quickly realizes the day is going to be much harder than she imagined.

“I'm touching close, I'm holding bright, holding tight, give me shudders in a whisper, take me up 'til I'm shooting a star.” -Girls on Film by Duran Duran

The next morning, El woke up in Max’s jacket. She didn’t realize she’d slept in it, but apparently she had. It still smelled like Max, who smelled like apple cider and gingersnaps. El smiled to herself and opened her eyes, only to find Mike and Will standing in her room, chattering under their breath, hanging up old christmas lights to frame a poster they made, reading ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELEVEN!’

“Will? Mike?” El yawned, rubbing her eyes. She sat up, tucking stray hair behind her ears. “What are you guys doing?”

“We were trying to throw you a surprise party.” Mike huffed, turning to face Eleven. 

“Surprise!” Will smiled. “She was still surprised. El, you were still surprised, right?”

“Birthday? Today’s my birthday?” El asked, ignoring Will’s question. 

“Yeah, actually. Hop was able to find your file from the lab, and he found your birthday! It’s today!” Mike answered. El turned to her bedside table, where a mini calendar sat. Jonathan had grabbed it from Hobby Lobby when he was shopping for colored pencils for Will, and it had a line from an Emily Dickinson poem for every day. 

Her calendar read June 27, and the quote that day was ‘Tell the truth, but tell it slant.’ 

Huh.

“June 27th. Your birthday. You’re fourteen.” Will said, putting on his party hat. “You go ahead and get dressed. The party’s all here for a celebratory breakfast, then the rest of the day is yours to dictate.” Will ushered Mike out of the room so El could change, leaving El alone with the bright lights and birthday poster. 

El ended up choosing a bright yellow button down that Max had picked out for her. Pale pink triangles decorated the short sleeves that she eventually cuffed, and she grabbed a pair of light washed shorts that Nancy gave her. 

‘These were my favorite when I was your age,” Nancy had said. ‘I wore them everywhere.’

El also picked out a pair of bright pink suspenders to go with her outfit, and put her hair up in the half up-half down style Hopper had shown her. Nancy had taught him how to do it. Lastly, El threw on Max’s jacket. 

She left her room and was greeted by Jonathan and Steve, who were headed for Jonathan’s room. 

“Hey, kid!” Steve said, beaming. “Happy birthday!” El glanced down, only to find their hands entwined. 

“Thanks, Steve.” El turned to Jonathan. “Friends don’t lie.” She said, smirking. 

“I didn’t-I, Eleven, what are you-El!” Jonathan stammered as she walked away. She just kept walking with a little bounce in her step to the dining room, where she found Hopper bringing out plates of Eggos for her friends, Dustin, Lucas, and-

Oh.

Max looked amazing, her face red, her breath quick, probably from chasing Dustin and Lucas around to pass time, and her hair was braided up and around her ears, joining together in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. 

“There’s the birthday gal!” Hopper said, patting a chair at the head of the table. “Your seat.” She took her place, Max on her right, and Will taking his place on her left. Hopper placed a kiss on the top of El’s head, then ruffled her hair. “Happy birthday, kid.” She could swear she heard him getting choked up. 

“Any candles, mom?” Will asked, pointing at El’s stack of Eggos with his thumb. 

“No, we’ll have a cake tonight.” 

“Well, happy birthday, El.” Max said, smiling at her. 

“Yeah, happy birthday!” Dustin and Lucas chorused.

“Today’s yours.” Max flipped her hair over he shoulder. “What should we do first?” 

“Well,” El said, taking a bite of Eggo. “First, we should go see Goonies at the mall. Then, we can go see to Scoops. Does Steve work today?” 

“Yeah, his shift starts at 11.” Dustin answered as Steve and Jonathan walked back into the dining room. 

“Talking about us, eh?” Steve laughed. “You guys stopping by today?”

El nodded enthusiastically. She loved stopping by Scoops Ahoy to see Steve. He was always eager to have them there, El was almost speculative it was the only positive interaction he had while on his shift. 

“Where else are you guys thinking about going?” 

“Goonies at 10:30.” Lucas answered, dabbing at the chocolate sauce on his face. 

“Oh! Me and Jonathan can take you then, right, Jon?” 

“Sure, sure, yeah. We should probably head out though, if we’re going to make it.” 

The party finished what little they had left of their Eggos, wiped their faces, slipped on their shoes, and followed the two older boys out the door. They split cars, since Steve could only hold four of them, and Jonathan could only hold three in his new truck, one seat being taken up by photography equipment. El, Max, Lucas and Dustin climbed into Steve’s car, Mike and Will following Jonathan to his truck. In the back, El was sandwiched between Lucas and Max. 

Max turned to El on the way to Starcourt, complimenting her shirt. 

“The yellow looks nice with your hair like that.” Max said softly, trying not to interrupt Lucas, Dustin and Steve’s banter about Star Wars. 

“Thank you. You helped me pick it out the other day, I ended up getting it.” 

“Oh! I didn’t even notice you took that one. I really like the blue one, with the circles on it, yeah?”

“Oh, yes. Very...pretty.” El smiled. 

“Is that my jacket?” El looked down, not realizing she was still wearing it. 

“Oh, yes. Sorry, did you want it back?” El began shrugging it off.

“No, no, it’s fine. It looks good on you.” El blushed profusely, tugging at the sleeves of the jacket. “Aren’t you a little hot in it, though?” El shook her head.

“I’m always cold.” 

 

“Like, right now?”

“Yeah.” 

“Here.” Max took both of El’s hands in hers, feeling how cold they were. “Your hands can warm up in mine. Like a microwave.” She joked. 

“Like a microwave.” El agreed. The two stayed like that till they arrived at the mall, where they had to let go of each other. 

“Are your hands warmer now?” Max whispered. 

“Yes. Thank you, Max.” 

“Anytime. Just say the word.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!! i'm absolutely in love with this series, and i hope your enjoying reading it as much as i am writing it! let me know what you think of this chapter, and make sure to leave a kudos if you liked it!! thank you so much for taking the time to read this. it means a lot to me.


	3. I'll Melt With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> El's bday part dos!! Shenanigans and cute stuff ensue.

_“I'll stop the world and melt with you, You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time, There's nothing you and I won't do, I'll stop the world and melt with you.”_ -I’ll Melt With You, Modern English

 

After the Goonies, the party followed El’s lead to Scoops Ahoy, where they found Steve serving ice cream yet again. Dustin joked around with Steve as he scooped their ice cream into waffle cones, and Robin drizzled them with syrup. 

 

“Oh!” Steve spotted Jonathan. “You went to the movie with them?” 

 

“Someone had to make sure they weren’t throwing popcorn at each other and yelling.” 

 

“Hey! El can drive now, we’re basically tax paying adults now.” Dustin said. 

 

“Oh my God.” Steve huffed, laughing under his breath. “Whatever you say, Dusty.” Steve handed Dustin his cone, and the party wandered off to find a table, leaving Jonathan to flirt with Steve over the glass-cased ice cream.

 

“Y’know, we spend way too much time here,” Lucas said, licking his cone and sliding into the booth next to Will, who nodded in agreement. 

 

“But, it’s El’s day, and she can choose whatever we do today. So, El, what’s it after this?” Will asked.

 

“Well,” she thought for a moment. “I hadn’t really thought beyond this.” She admitted. 

 

“We could go to the pool,” Mike suggested.

 

“Or,” Max said. “El just got out of training wheels! Will says she’s practically a pro now. We could just bike a while.” 

 

El nodded. “I’d like that.” 

 

After they’d all finished their ice cream, they dragged Jonathan away from the ice cream counter as he reminded Steve to call him.

 

_ “Gross.”  _ They chorused. 

 

Jonathan drove them all back to the Byers-Hopper residence, very illegally, and took turns trying (and failing) to ride Max’s board. After a while, they took off on their bikes, pedaling down the long trail behind Will’s house, their laughter filling the small brush. 

 

El felt free. 

 

After they rounded the corner of the trail, revealing Will’s house once again, they realized it was getting dark, and that Joyce would be calling for them to come in at any minute. They entered the cozy house, taking off their shoes and chasing each other through the living room to the kitchen, forcing Hopper to shout  _ ‘slow down!’  _ as they ran to the kitchen for the cake Joyce had promised.  They sang El her song and stuffed their faces with cake and ice cream, the only time they were silent that day. 

 

At 10, Karen stopped by to pick up Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and Will, who were going to stay at the Wheeler’s. 

 

“You staying here?” Dustin asked Max, who was sitting comfortably on the couch, watching some rerun of Gilligan's Island. 

 

Max nodded, digging her hand into the bowl of popcorn sitting on the table. 

 

“We’re gonna build a fort, watch some movies, ruin our stomach lining with candy, y’ know. You guys?”

 

“Probably the same.” Dustin shrugged on his jacket and waved goodbye, the others following. Will ran over and gave El a hug, beaming. His smile almost blinded Max. 

 

“I love you so much, El. I’m so proud of you. Happy birthday.” He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and followed Mike out the door. 

 

“Girls?” Hopper called, poking his head into the living room, where the two sat. “We’re going to turn in. Make sure you brush your teeth.” He eyed the two again. “Brush your teeth.” 

 

“Yes, Hop.” They replied in unison. 

 

“Happy birthday, El.” Hopper smiled. “Goodnight, girls.” 

 

The two spent the better half of the next hour setting up a complex fort made up of all the blankets from both El and Will’s beds, as well as the throw blankets from the couches in their basement and the living room. El was going to take blankets from Jonathan’s room as well, but, considering that he and Steve were practically passed out - snoring and all, on Jonathan’s twin bed, El decided to leave them alone. 

 

The fort stretched from one of the couches to the TV, encapsulating the living room into cascading walls of fuzz. They crawled inside of the blanket cave and turned on one of Max’s favorite movies of all time, The Exorcist. Of course, El didn’t realize it was a horror movie. Halfway through, she jumped so hard she jostled Max, who only smiled. 

 

“Scared?” El didn’t respond, but Max opened her arms and laid back on the piles of pillows they’d set up on the living room floor. El let herself fall into Max’s arms, and she let Max hold her till the credits began to roll. 

 

Needless to say, she didn’t get scared again. 

 

As the TV grew dark, Max shifted, her chin resting on El’s head now. 

 

“El, you awake?” She grunted an ‘mm-hm’, too comfortable, too safe to move. 

 

“Good.” Max licked her lips from nervousness. “There’s something I have to tell you.” 

 

“Shoot,” El replied, adjusting herself so her head laid on Max’s shoulder so she could see her face. 

 

“Well, actually, I have no idea how to tell you. I had this big elaborate plan, and now I have no idea how to say it.” Max laughed to herself. “Whatever. I think you’re beautiful, Eleven. And I don’t mean that in like an ‘oh I love what you’ve done with your hair’ it means I’m like Will, you know, only with girls, and right now that girl is you.” Max shook her head in disdain but directed at herself. “I like you, Eleven. A lot. I like the angry you, you from earlier today whose hair was flowing in the wind without a care in the world and I like the brave you, whether your braveness is you attempting to skate or facing interdimensional monsters. I like you so goddamn much, Eleven.” Max shifted to El was no longer resting her head on her, but facing her. 

 

“Please say something,” Max begged, chewing her lip. Eleven met her gaze, searching Max’s eyes, trying to gather a response. 

 

“Can I kiss you?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BUIEFWLNDOEWFJKRE IM SO CHAOTIC FOR LEAVING FOR LIKE A MONTH AND THEN GIVING YOU A 1000 WORD CHAPTER THAT ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER I LOVE YALL THANK YOU FOR READING MORE UPDATES SOON SHE'LL BE FINISHED BEFORE JUNE

**Author's Note:**

> howdy! i hope you enjoyed this!! this was originally a piece i wrote for my tumblr (stonathan-strangers) but i decided i'd post it to here as well and carry out a series! please leave a kudos if you enjoyed it and let me know what you think! i love hearing back from you guys.


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